Lost Debate

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe kick things off with the latest chapter in a long-simmering debate around the origins of COVID-19, now that the Department of Energy is endorsing the once-derided “lab leak theory.” Then we head down to Florida, where a politically charged curriculum fight is playing out over a proposed AP African American Studies course. [04:43] DOE Leans Lab Leak [36:01] Florida vs. AP Afric...

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe jump into #TrendyTuesday, looking at five trends that are reshaping America: declines in driving, religious faith, marriage rates, and sex, as well as a rise in multigenerational living.  [03:02] - Driving Downturn [10:19] - Declining Religiosity [22:01] - Multigenerational Living [31:04] - Sex Recession [40:31] - Falling Marriage Rates Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts...

Ravi and Rikki review all the frightening and frustrating developments in East Palestine, Ohio, where a derailed train released huge quantities of hazardous chemicals and left a community uncertain of its safety. Then, Ravi sits down with the Washington Post’s Paul Farhi to discuss Dominion’s defamation suit against Fox News.  [03:32] - East Palestine Train Derailment [24:15] - Dominion vs. Fox Ne...

The federal government has been adamant for decades about the need to improve schools so that every child receives a proper education. The pandemic and subsequent school lockdowns reinforced the urgency of this issue, with a recent study from Populace reporting that 71% of Americans believe more things about the educational system should change than stay the same. Ravi talks with Rick Hess, Senior...

Introducing Lost Debate's newest weekly podcast, Sweat the Technique, which is taking over the Lost Debate feed for a special episode! The new show features a group of pathbreaking educators who come together to answer the question: how do we get better, faster? Our hosts apply lessons from the classroom to all areas of life — from parenting to relationships, to sports, to hobbies, and more. In th...

Ravi and Rikki start by unpacking what’s been a mysterious week of spy balloons, UFOs, and global power tensions. Then we take a look at how quickly deepfake technology has improved, further complicating our online lives. Finally, Rikki sits down for an interview on the nuclear power industry with journalist Jonathan Rauch. [04:05] Spy Balloon [19:00] Deepfake [33:39] Interview with Jonathan Rauch...

Ravi sits down with Populace CEO Todd Rose to discuss two data sets we’ve been covering on the Lost Debate: the gap between Americans’ private and public beliefs, and what the American public wants out of the education system. Through those two lenses, we try and assess how divided the country actually is versus how divided it so often seems.  Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 3...

America faces two inextricable problems: a growing homelessness crisis, and a dire lack of affordable housing. As the gravity of those issues grows more visible, lawmakers are under increasing pressure to solve them. We sat down with The New York Times' Binyamin Appelbaum to talk about how the state of California -- so often the poster child for how not to handle homelessness -- is making gradual...

Ravi and Rikki lead things off with their reactions to President Biden’s State of the Union address and what it says about the state of political polarization today. Then we turn to YouTube extraordinaire MrBeast, why he’s courting controversy over cataract surgeries, and the merits of effective altruism. Finally, we head to the grocery aisle and ask a question that’s surprisingly hard to answer:...

Ravi and Rikki take a closer look at the Biden administration’s fair housing plan, potentially including one controversial proposal: rent control. Rikki then turns us to her recent reporting on the mental health effects of the pill and the nuances of birth control. Finally, we take stock of the school choice measure making waves across red and purple America: Education Savings Accounts.  [04:26] -...

Introducing "The Hardest Step," which is taking over the Lost Debate feed for a special episode! Topeka K. Sam is a shining example of the power of redemption. While in federal prison for drug trafficking, Topeka witnessed firsthand the many challenges and injustices that women, particularly women of color, face behind bars. After her release in May 2015, she launched The Ladies of Hope Ministries...

Ravi and Rikki start with the weight-loss drug that’s sweeping TikTok, Hollywood, and the nation: Ozempic. Then we turn to the dark side of your rewards card, and ask some oft-ignored questions about where all those points really come from. Finally, we check in on the latest iteration of the Fair Tax Act and what the saga that produced it says about American policymaking today.  [03:29] - Ozempic...

Ravi and Rikki first welcome today’s guest host, David Dayen, before turning to the Justice Department’s antitrust suit taking aim at Google’s digital ad business. Then we discuss the state of civics education in America, asking what schools should do to mold better citizens. Finally, we take a hard look at what we’re coining the Fake Reviews Industrial Complex and whether it can be unraveled.  [0...

Ravi and Rikki lead things off by discussing an emerging trend in white-collar work: the four-day week. Then we turn to hospice care and the little-known cottage industry beneath it, plagued with rampant fraud and abuse. Finally, we wrap things up with a big question facing K-12 education: are kids learning the practical skills they need to succeed?  [03:25] Four-Day Workweek [21:55] Hospice Care...

Ravi and Rikki start by revisiting ChatGPT, the OpenAI platform with the potential to dramatically reshape society at every level. Then, the hosts bring in our graphic designer, Aidan, to guide them through another growing trend in America: non-monogamous relationships. Finally, Ravi and Rikki touch on the sobering teacher shortage in Mississippi and how it’s affecting students.   [02:54] Challeng...

In 2022 the NFL's Buffalo Bills announced a deal with the state of New York to build a brand new $1.4 Billion stadium in Erie County. The passage of funding between the state, the Buffalo Bills, and the NFL requires that New York taxpayers front a whopping 60% of the project - or about $850 dollars. This reignited a debate that has been raging in the US for the past two decades: Should taxpayers f...

Ravi and Rikki begin with some hopeful new data in America’s push to eliminate cancer, while acknowledging how far we’ve yet to go. The hosts then take a long hard look in the mirror, reacting to a slowdown in the explosive growth of podcasting. Finally, Ravi and Rikki revisit two pieces of highly controversial legislation affecting classrooms in the Sunshine State: the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” b...

Ravi and Rikki kick things off with a hot top(ic): gas stoves. We’ll talk about what the debate over the beloved kitchen appliance says about American politics. The hosts then turn to Biden’s visit to the southern border and how new shifts in his immigration policies are drawing flak from both the left and right. Finally, we discuss how the typical retirement age figures into the future financial...

Ravi and Rikki begin by addressing two voicemails responding to their last episode, dealing with TikTok and pornography. The hosts then turn to the push and pull between two sides of an emerging debate: the power of public DNA in criminal investigations, and the privacy concerns around its use. Finally, the hosts respond to a provocative piece in the Wall Street Journal, turning back to the nation...

Ravi and Rikki kick things off with Congress’ new TikTok ban, over escalating fears that the app amounts to a “Trojan Horse” for pro-China propaganda. We look at how the app is impacting Americans before switching gears to one of the few forms of content with an even wider reach: pornography. We don’t like to talk about it – or write about it – but how is it affecting our health? Finally, the FTC...

Long before Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, or the birth of “fake news,” Americans had already started to lose their faith in American journalism. The feeling that something had shifted in the media’s discourse had become hard to ignore because mainstream news was no longer just liberal; it was “Woke.” In this episode of Regressives, Ravi interviews Batya Unger-Sargon - the Deputy opinion editor at Ne...

Ravi and Joe start with the unprecedented leadership battle transpiring on Capitol Hill and its consequences on the House Republican majority. Ravi then talks with Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig about Mickey Mouse entering the public domain, what that means for everyday consumers and heavyweights like Disney. Finally, Ravi disentangles Apple’s complex supply chain before examining how their...

Ravi and Rikki kick off the new year by addressing Rep.-elect George Santos’ list of lies, deceptions, and fabrications. Ravi delves into these revelations and debates if Congress can hold him accountable for his dishonesty. They then switch gears to address a provocative piece in The Atlantic, which argues that real estate should be treated as consumption, not an investment, and Rikki questions w...

On this special Best Of episode, Rikki and Ravi take us back to their favorite segments of the year: a fiery debate over Edward Snowden, a lighter look at how dating apps are changing the way we interact, and a deep dive into an important question many take for granted: is the Supreme Court partisan? Subscribe to our channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTF Subscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate....

In our last Regressives episode, we went over affirmative action and why it might soon be a thing of the past. Today, we'll go through a less-discussed practice in college admissions: legacy admissions. For a century, it's allowed elite schools to cater to elite families, giving blatantly preferential treatment to the nation's wealthiest sons and daughters. It's created a hyper-exclusive pipeline,...